Program

Respeto/Proteger

Respeto/Proteger (also called Respecting and Protecting Our Relationship) is a couple-focused HIV prevention program for young Latino parents. The program uses feelings of paternal protectiveness and cultural teaching to motivate participants to reduce their risky sexual behavior. An experimental evaluation of the program found a positive impact on unprotected sex.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: Young Latino parents

Respeto/Proteger (also called Respecting and Protecting Our Relationship) is a couple-focused HIV prevention program for young Latino parents. The program uses feelings of paternal protectiveness and cultural teaching to motivate participants to reduce their risky sexual behavior. It involves strategies such as storytelling, reflection, and facilitator guidance. The 12-hour curriculum includes content about HIV awareness, understanding vulnerability to HIV infection, attitudes and beliefs about HIV and safer sex, disease prevention, condom use skills, and sexual negotiation skills.

EVALUTION OF PROGRAM

Evaluated population: A total of 336 participants between 14 and 25 years old participated in the study. Participating mothers had to be in a relationship with their current partner for at least 3 months and have a child who was at least 3 months old. The mean age for male participants was 20 years (range 15-25 years), while the mean age for female participants was 18 years (range 14-23). Seventy-eight percent of the male participants and 86 percent of the female participants identified as Latino. The study took place in Los Angeles.

Approach: Couples were randomly assigned within recruitment site to the intervention or control group. The control group received a short 1.5 hour didactic HIV prevention education program. The two groups were equivalent at baseline. Data on unprotected sex were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Results: There was a positive impact on reducing unprotected sex for those in the intervention group compared with those in the control group.